Big Z surf competition

Two weeks ago, my friends and I went to Incantadia, Zambales in Talisayen Cove to have a one-of-a-kind summer experience. We’ve all been really busy with work and life preventing us from seeing each other, so this trip came at the right time. Also, social media has become unbearably toxic lately so an island getaway sounded like such a good idea. And boy, it was.

It’s my first beach fest ever so I couldn’t wait for the day to arrive. Incantatus is not just a music festival–it also offers poi lessons, yoga sessions, and a cleanup activity. We’ve all seen how much trash such events produce and it’s really nice that the organizers thought of incorporating a cleanup activity during the two-day event. I only wish everyone participated. But… baby steps.

Incantatus was attended by mostly foreigners from all over the world. Some of the people I got to interact with came from Poland, Denmark, the UK, Spain, France, Nigeria, and Japan. I’ve always been curious about other nationalities, so it was a perfect opportunity to learn more about their culture.

Waiting for our bus to Zambales. We were supposed to leave at 7am but we left at around 8am.

I guess the only “negative” thing I can say is that the organizers weren’t too “organized”. There were certain things they failed to tell us before the event, such as the lack of network signal (as in nada) and boats to take us back to the mainland. No one knew exactly how many and what time the boats were gonna arrive–everyone wanted to go home and none from the staff approached us nor managed the crowd. Apart from that, it was an awesome weekend with friends. Definitely one for the books.

Hello, everyone! If you can still remember, last year I went to the beaches of Zambales and Daet to accompany Chad. Chad has been skating, surfing, filming, and taking pictures since he was little, and these activities have contributed to who he is now. He is the most passionate person I know, especially towards surfing and making videos, and this passion of his inspired him to make a narrative film about Filipino soul surfing:

He has finally finished it and showing it on April 27th in Tampa, Florida. So please, if you happen to be around the area on that day, do drop by the theater. Here’s the address and schedule:

The ticket is basically free, all he needs is for people to come and see how’s surfing like in his native country as well as the culture and lifestyle of Filipino surfers. It will be very worth it, I assure you. Recently, however, Chad has launched his Kickstarter campaign, a site that funds independent artists like Chad through people’s donations. It uses the “all or nothing” funding system, where people pledge a certain amount to reach a certain goal. If the artist don’t get to raise his goal by the deadline, the backers won’t be charged. In Chad’s case, he’s aiming for a 500-dollar goal, which will cover the rental of the venue and logistical aspects of the film premiere. Please watch the video below to know what you’ll get in case you decide to pledge:

Seriously, you got nothing to lose on this. As of writing, Chad has 7 people who pledged a total amount of $255, about 50% of his goal. He only has 18 days left to raise the money, so it would be lovely (and will be definitely appreciated) if you could help us out. Here is his Kickstarter link:

I grew up traveling to and fro Tinambac, a small town in Camarines Sur where my mom was born. I always made sure I visit the place at least once a week when I was in high school and college, despite it being relatively underdeveloped. I dunno, there’s just something about the place that draws me to it, or perhaps because it’s situated in a coastal area. The ocean has been my place of refuge–its beach is the only place in the world where I can just practically sit all day and never get bored; its waters calm and give me the peace of mind I lack when I’m in the city. Yes, maybe you can call me an ocean child.

Kawaii, the surfer dog, toying with my hand

We live in a world where acquisition of material things is a priority. I also used to spend lots of my time thinking how I can get this and that; I never felt contented with my life afterwards. Not feeling any contentment is very exhausting quite honestly. However, my latest travels helped me find my old self. I’m quite thankful my boyfriend loves the ocean and other simple things in life as much as I do, and I can’t be more grateful that he brought me to the beaches of Zambales and Daet.

With Ate Mocha, Daet's best wahine surfer

While we were in Zambales, it felt like as if a huge baggage was lifted off my back. I didn’t have to worry if I look ghastly or trendy. I never wore make-up throughout my stay; I traded my heels and ballet flats for sneakers, even if the former ones were the more appropriate or, shall I say, more fashown. When you’re in one with nature, everything seems and feels normal and beautiful.

With Jong. He taught Chad how to surf; now he's teaching me. 🙂

We arrived n Zambales in time for the Big Z surfing and skimboarding competition. It’s amazing how surfers are able to ride waves. Being able to float in water is pretty difficult (for me at least) already, but the participants in the competition were still able to do aerials and stunts.

Well, here’s a video of the Big Z event by Marvin Conanan if you weren’t able to come! Find me, Chad, and the rest of the Daet surf team! 🙂

All photos were taken by Chad (except the last one) using a Canon film camera. Visit his online journals to view his work (here and here)! He might not approve of me promoting his sites (hehe); I dunno if he’s being humble or he’s just oblivious of how good he is. 😛 I always admired his photography skills even before we started dating (we’ve known each other for almost a decade <sorry, I just felt the need to say that. HOHOHO>). He prefers film cameras more than the digital ones and I perfectly understand why. Film cameras capture the natural beauty of things. Plus, he does not have to worry about corrupted memory cards. 🙂

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Hey there! My name is Daphne and I am based in Tampa Bay, Florida.
This blog has been my digital home since 2010. I initially created Metamorphosis as an outlet for my thoughts but eventually focused on my (questionable) style, beauty routines, and adventures.